iNaturalist

Description: Ever taken an interesting photo of a plant or animal, and wanted to share what you've seen and where you've seen it? Liberate that photo from your hard drive, and share it with an online army of naturalists and scientists. Matt Muir will show how social media, photo sharing, and nature are linking local and global expertise for use in education and science.

In an ever-growing world of nature-sharing websites, Matt will focus on iNaturalist.org, a free and open-source community that connects your observations to species range maps, state and county lists, and other external information sources. Learn how iNaturalist can be used to keep lists of all your species records, to establish projects where others can complement your efforts, to seek identification help, and to create field guides for your backyard, your favorite nature area, or any location that you choose.

Although not a prerequisite, it is recommended that you explore the iNaturalist.org website before the program. If you use a smartphone, you can also download the free iNaturalist app for Android or iPhone. During a walk at the Arboretum, Matt will demonstrate how to document nature observations and upload them to the Internet.

This program is free for members, free with admission for the general public. Advance registration is requested.